Thunderstruck!

[Thundergut]

Ol automatic launched another arrow for me last night. I am afraid my buck tag has been punched. Details later :D

[Thundergut]

OK, I just dropped him off at the butcher's after taking some pics.

He's how it went off last night:

I was hunting a white oak flat for the first time this year. It was one of the places I really wanted to get to, but had other places that were jumping with deer activity as well.

I finally decided to hunt the oak flat, and hung a stand in between a couple of trees that were still dropping nuts.

After watching a button buck meander around in circles for an hour, two does came flying into my setup as light was beginning to fade. I could not tell if they were does or fawns, so I held off a shot, thinking maybe a larger doe would come in. I just could not believe that two full-grown does would barrel into a set up like that.

Well, as I watched their backtrail, my curiosites were satisfied as a nice, wide 1 1/2 year old 8 point stepped out, clearly on the prowl. He was lip curling, swaggering, and stopped at 15 yards to snort wheeze. I could not believe what I was seeing. I was watching a buck actively pursuing a couple of does, one who was acting awefully in heat now, in the middle of october.

I was still thinking of shooting one of the does when it occured to me that the buck in front of me would not have snort wheezed without a good reason. Just then, I saw another, bigger buck coming in. He also was lip curling and swaggering. I drew my bow.

The goofy doe saw him approaching and urinated in front him. He walked to where she was, sniffed the ground and curled his lip. I took the opportunity to lean out and place my pin on the now-quartering-away buck.

I tripped the release and lost the all-black fletched arrow (damn those turkey arrows) as it closed the 25 yards to the deer. I heard a solid hit, the buck threw his rear legs into the air and promptly slammed rack-first into a 4" sapling. Four times he slammed into the small tree before he got loose and tore out of there.

About 5 seconds later, I heard him crash and burn in a big way.

My buddy Mike and I picked up the trail an hour or so later and found massive amounts of lung blood at the scene of the hit and a blood trail up to 4 feet wide at points. Halfway to the buck we found the majority of my arrow, and he really began to bleed.

The arrow took him right in the back rib, up through both lungs and finally into the off-side shoulder.

I am quite pleased, but it is going to be frustrating to go into the rut with no buck tag!

http://www.totalsportsman.com/images/Photos/101405b.jpg
http://www.totalsportsman.com/images/Photos/101405c.jpg
http://www.totalsportsman.com/images/Photos/101405d.jpg
http://www.totalsportsman.com/images/Photos/101405e.jpg

[Thunderflight]

Congrads!!!!

[Hiller]

Man nice buck, but are you sure he's only 1 1/2 year old. That is one huge 1 1/2 old if it is. I don't konw if you saw the pics of the buck I shot, but they aged it at 3 1/2, it's fairly similar to yours as well. Oh well either way great buck, they sure are hitting the acorns aren't they
Later
Hiller

[Redhunter1012]

Don't feel like the lone ranger brother, the rut's gonna be tough to handle this year with no buck tag. I plan on helping dad and my nephews get set up on some shooters. By the way, nice deer man!

[epe]

Nice deer! That was the older buck that came in later not the 1 1/2 year old right?

[Thunderflight]

I believe it is.

[It's Not A Passion..]

Nice buck man. It sounds like you're just having all kinds of luck this year. Congrats.

[Double drop]

im not a biologist, but I'd call that buck a 3 1/2 yr. old, 120 inch gross

Nice buck! way to wack em with the ole Legacy!
DD

[Ohio Bow]

Nice Buck, Did you get that one in Bainbridge? Congrats.

[CritterGitter]

Congrats Thundergut! That is a beautiful chocolate horned 8 pt buck. A nice story of the hunt as well.

CG

[Thundergut]

Thanks guys!

You are correct, this was the 3 1/2 year old. I green scored him right at 129, the pics are deceiving as to his mass and size. His bases are 5". When I get to the office tomorrow, I'll post another shot of him in my truck that shows the rack much better. Heck, I could care less if he scores 110 or 140. I am quite pleased. I am going to carry my camera with me to my stand every time I go out this year, just to document all of the booners that walk by, knowing I have no buck tag. :D :D :D

All I know is, it sure is great to have venison in the freezer again. I just got done eating about 2 pounds of grilled backstraps with grilled and marinated poblano peppers and onions. Mmmmm MMmmmm good!

[alpine5575]

Nice Buck !!! I couldn't pass on that one no matter what
time of the year it was.
Congrads !!!!!

[Buckmaster]

Great Job!

[trapperack]

congrats!!!!!! would be hard to pass that one!!!!

[Thundergut]

Here's anpther view that shows the curled brow tines, just like a pronghorn. I am sorry for the truck pic, I hate them, but it is the only pic I had of the brows

http://www.totalsportsman.com/images/Photos/101405a.jpg

[Buckmaster]

Unique curl to the browtines.

[Buckmaster]

Keep growing that beard. You're doing yourself some justice by hiding those three chins of yours :)

[camo]

nice buck!! your dinner sounds great to lol:p

[rlbeaty11]

Great looking Buck. Congrats!

[Thundergut]

Originally posted by Buckmaster
Keep growing that beard. You're doing yourself some justice by hiding those three chins of yours :)

Bwwwaaaa haaaa haaa

[hunTer06]

Nice deer!! I know how ya feel about not having a buck tag in the rut!! Ya can't let a deer like that walk though.

[Andy Gehle]

Sweet deal, bro!!! Congrats on a great buck.

[XX78]

One nice deer there congrats

[Jimmy]

Great lookin' buck!! Congrats!!

[KillerSquirrel]

Rock on, man!

[OHBOW76]

A good buck...congrats. I love the dark rack, way to go!

[SouthernOhio#9]

Nice Buck!!! Congrats!!! My buck had a dark rack also! I dont know if it is something they eat or what!!! Thats a nice trophy though!!!!